Helping others:

AmeriCorps helps students with alternatives in education finance while providing valuable community service opportunities

By Kara Swarbrick
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

Tuition, room and board, books, telephone bills, not to mention all the little things like paper, pens, and pencils, can create a never-ending stream of bills for a college education. To pay those bills, there are loans, grants, and scholarships (if you're lucky), and, for some students, community service.

"I was first attracted to the AmeriCorps program by seeing how you get a deduction from your tuition," said Shawna Anapolsky, 21, a freshman undeclared major from Sacramento, Ca.

"AmeriCorps, the domestic Peace Corps, engages more than 50,000 Americans in intensive, results-driven service each year," says the AmeriCorps website (www.americorps.org).

A person involved with the AmeriCorps program can earn up to $4,725 for working full-time and completing at least 1,700 hours within a year, according to the website. Students who are going to school full-time have the option of choosing a "reduced part-time" program that offers $787 for 300 hours done over one year, $1,181 for 450 hours done over one year or $2,362 for 900 hours done over one or two years, says the website.

"I chose the 450 [hours] primarily because for such an increase in money towards tuition why not work an extra 150 hours?" said Anapolsky, who started the AmeriCorps program in December.

"[The AmeriCorps Education Award] is a national program through the AmeriCorps national office," said Angela Roberts, Coordinator of Community Service Programs. "It's allowing students an opportunity to become engaged in their university communities as well as their communities outside of the university."

There are only five students involved in the program, which has been at Norwich for two years. These students are called "service leaders," according to Roberts.

"Service leaders do tutoring, working with seniors, energy conservation, and they also try to recruit others on campus to join in volunteer projects and programs," said Roberts. "They can work with faculty to help put service learning into their courses also."

The hours that the service leaders are required to complete can be done with any kind of non-profit organization and they can put in any amount of time each time they go.

"Depending upon your class schedule, you can pretty much come and go as you please so long as you get the hours in and are productive with your time," said Anapolsky. "That is another incredibly positive thing about this program."

As long as the required hours are fulfilled within a year, the service leaders will be compensated.

"If you serve at least 15 percent of your term and leave for compelling personal circumstances (as determined by your project director), you may be eligible for a prorated award based on the number of service hours you complete," said the website.

Service leaders are allowed to complete hours through work study and also over the scheduled breaks during the school year and over the summer. The only requirements are that the student keep track of his/her hours, provide the name of the site supervisor, and work for non-profit organizations.

Leaders are also active throughout the year.

"During the school year, what they will do is, they will go on the Alternative Spring Break trip; they'll be doing a weekend trip to Boston; they worked on the Hunger Banquet; and getting a speaker for World AIDS day," said Roberts. "They also worked with the freshman students during orientation, and each went to a site."

For a student who is participating in the 300 hours over one year program, it is necessary to work an average of ten hours per week in a 30 week school year, according to Roberts.

"Yes, it takes up time, but it's fun time, and you feel good about it, because you're helping others or working on a project that will allow people to help others," said Anapolsky.

Although anyone may join and sign up to be a member of the AmeriCorps program, Roberts notes, "it is service oriented; it's volunteer based, and you have to enjoy doing volunteer service."

The AmeriCorps Education Award pays for "most postsecondary loans that are backed by the federal government" and a student is able to "receive an award for [his/her] first two terms of service," according to the website.

Service leaders are also restricted to working with non-profit organizations while representing AmeriCorps. For more details on the AmeriCorps program at Norwich, contact Angela Roberts in the Student Life office in Jackman Hall.

For details on the national program, visit the AmeriCorps website, (www.americorps.org). Information about other volunteer opportunities at Norwich can be found on CLiC (accessible to authorized users only), the campus internet portal community.

"I think AmeriCorps is a great opportunity because it is a way for me to work on my leadership skills and other organizational skills that will undoubtedly prove priceless in life," said Anapolsky. "Overall, AmeriCorps seems like a program that gives countless opportunities for individuals to grow and make a difference."

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